There are few items in the household that will help your child learn as quickly as a tablet or smartphone. These small devices allow children engage with material unlike anything else in the world, and here is a look at 10 of the best educational apps for kids of any age.

1. Elmo Loves 123s

If your child is a fan of Sesame Street or Elmo, then this app is an absolute must-have. This software was designed for children under the age of 5 to get their first idea about number recognition and counting. When children carry out the tasks correctly, they are awarded with in-app prizes such as sing-a-longs with Elmo.

2. Funbrain Jr.

Simple games and goofy characters are used to help children work on skills such as basic counting, identifying patterns, and matching shapes. The sheer variety of games will make this app enjoyable for any child.

3. The Magic School Bus: Oceans by Scholastic

The Magic School Bus is an educational franchise that has been entertaining children for years, and their new lineup of apps is sure to be a hit with the next generation. The Oceans by Scholastic app is a great download for any children that have gotten more interested in aquatic life and the ocean.

4. Stack the States

When it comes time for your child to learn states, capitals, and abbreviations, this app could become invaluable. Stack the States provides children with a simple Tetris-esque game to learn states shapes while attempting to beat puzzles. Additional games in this app allow children to match capitals to cartoon states.

5. Ansel & Clair’s Adventures in Africa

This great piece of software helps children explore Africa alongside a comical alien and robot guide. Parents can instill a sense of adventure in their children as they explore animals, landscapes, and culture from the Nile River to South Africa.

6. Habitat the Game

If you would like to teach your children the importance of caring for the environment, then you may want to download Habitat the Game. This mobile app encourages children to carry out real-world actions such as turning off lights and recycling plastic to earn points in the game.

7. Winky Think Logic Puzzles

Winky Think Logic Puzzles is a great learning app for children of almost any age with a variety of mazes and puzzles. The eye-catching artwork and varying levels of difficulty will keep children entertained for hours.

8. Dexteria Dots 2

This app helps children multi-task with their education as they not only learn basic math, but also work on their dexterity. Colorful levels allow children to solve minor math problems and improve their eye-hand coordination with catchy music and fun animations.

9. The Sight Word Adventure

In the initial stages of learning how to read, children will often need practice with smaller sight words that they do not need to sound out. The Sight Word Adventure uses simple games to teach children over 320 of the most common sight words.

10. Plants by Tinybop

Children that are interested in the weather and changing seasons may enjoy perusing through Plants by Tinybop. Children will be able to slam clouds together to cause lightning or speed up time to see how the seasons affect certain plants.